Strange Darkness
by CaaRehme
Summary: When a woman from another world - our world - is sent to the world that only existed in her books, the future might change, even if she holds the key to keep the one she loves alive. But what will be the cost?
1. Prologue

Hello there, hope you enjoy this. I do not own anything but my characters. (Not even this prologue).

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I will tell you a story.

The words above are the most difficult for any writer, so I'm told.

Put another way: how one begins. I have plagiarized my favorite author's first attempt at storytelling. Her opening line has always stuck with me for its simplicity

So, I have begun.

I must warn you that even if I am a professional at this, I can't remember when I last put pen to paper. But I've decided once again to talk with my mind.

I'm not writing this with any intention of presenting it for publication. I'm afraid it's more selfish than that. I am at a stage of my life everyone dreads – that of filling my days with the past, because there is little future left.

It is something to do.

And I think that my story – the story of my mother and a fantastic journey – is an interesting one.

You thought it was a story of my life? Ih no, my life was a calm one, but the one I will tell you is about my parents.

I know everyone thinks that about their story too. And it's true. Every human being has a fascinating existence, with a big cast of good and evil characters in each.

And almost always, somewhere along the way, magic.

Some might think what I will tell you it's a lie, but what happened to my mom was something beyond imagination. Perhaps that's the reason I've always believed in magic. And as I've grown older, I've realized that a fairy tale is an allegory for the great dance of life we all undertake from the moment we are born.

And there is no escape until the day we die.

So, Dear Reader – I can speak to you as such because I must presume that my story has found an audience if you are one – let me tell you the story of my parents.

And as I sit here mulling over the story I will tell you, there's an overriding theme. It is, of course, love, and the choices we all make because of it.

Many of you will immediately think I refer to love between a man and a woman, and yes, there's plenty of that. But there are other precious form which are equally powerful; that of a parent's love for a child, for example. There is also the obsessive, destructive kind, wreaks havoc.

I will guide you through the story of how my mother, Cathrine Watson, entered into a world of magic that only existed in her books, and brought light into the life of a lost man, named Severus Snape.

I think I'll begin when Miss Watson was a young woman of Twenty Six years old, in a night that changed her life forever.

Once Upon a Time…

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Well, hi there! Let me explain how this will work. I have this story written since I was eleven years old. It was my first fanfic and now I have decided to write it with a new view of the 'world' (since now I am 20). I've read this week the fanfic named "The Visitor", but it is sad to know that there's no more new chapters since 2012. So please understand this is not a copy of that, even if it will remember it in some parts. I will try to make something complety new, even if the plot of the main character is alike. Cathrine is from our world who read the books by J.K. and now is at Hogwarts and will have a 'friendship' with Snape.

And this prologue it is from a book I read, so it is not complety original, but I made some modifications, because it's perfect. Hope you review so I know I can continue!

PLEASE, REVIEW! :)


	2. Chapter One - Magic

_Hello hello! Thought I wasn't going to continue this? But I will! _

_Warnings I will put at the end. Now, enjoy!_

I do not own Harry Potter or any of the character apart from the ones I created!

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The wind was blowing sorely on that cold night; the light rain was beating violently in the young woman's face that ran through the woods, trying to get as fast as possible at home, where she would be safe. Cathrine never thought things would come to this point, when she needed to take care of her every step to make sure he would not be around. If she had been more careful might not be going through this. But Cathrine never thought that Erick would become a maniac. The memories of the Erick she had known and even got to love seemed distant now, as if they never existed.

Cathrine had moved to Portland, against the will of their parents after graduating, and was able to rent a single apartment on the outskirts of town, and soon managed to get a job in one of the local libraries. Cathrine was formed in English literature, and was not ashamed to admit that her inspiration to follow in this area was came from J.K. Rowling. Cathrine was never ashamed to say she loved the series of books entitled Harry Potter that the author had created. Even now that she was twenty-six years of age she never tired of reading the books and watch the movies she so idolized. She dreamed of one day writing a story so incredible as that. Reading was one of her great passions. The other was music.

Although employment in the library was rewarding, it was not enough to pay the bills. And borrow money to her parents was something she would not do.

It was not that they would not help, but she could not ask money for them. Her parents lived in Sanford, Maine, with her younger sister, Michelle. Michelle was a lovely child of seven years old and it was her lovely stepsister. When her mother became pregnant with Cathrine, she was very young. Soon her parents married, however, while Cathrine grew, her mother always wanted to have another child. Unfortunately, after doing several tests, her mother, Isabella, had the sad news that could not gestate a child. It was a difficult time for the Watson family, and Cathrine really believed that both would divorce, but over the years the sorrow stood aside, and when she was nineteen years old, her parents decided to adopt a child. Michelle was a newborn when she was included in the system; her mother had abandoned her opposite to an orphanage, only with a blanket and a note saying that she couldn't take care of that baby.

Michelle was the greatest joy that could have happened in that house after so many difficult years. The child was pure joy and as she grew older, she took on the personality of Cathrine, it was to her that the child was most fond. The small Elle was the smartest and loving child who Cathrine knew, and after moving to Portland, she called every day to her sister to hear all school stories that the girl had. It was clear that her mother also called her almost every week. And that day was not different.

"How are things dear?" Isabelle asked.

"Everything is fine, Mom," Cathrine said, as she walked through the streets of Portland, during the lunch hour. "I just closed a deal and that little shop which I had spoken of is now mine. Soon I will inaugurate the newest bookstore in town" she said excitedly.

"Ah, my dear, this is great!" Her mother spoke from the other end. "But, darling, I want to know how _you_ are ..."

Cathrine sighed when she realized she had failed to prevent her mother to ask that question.

"I'm fine mother." She finally answered.

"Erick did not come back to look for you?" Isabelle asked, concern in her voice clearly.

"No..." Cathrine responded quickly, feeling a tremor through her body to hear that name. "Mom, I'll have to turn off ok? I'll call you over the weekend."

Her mother sighed, realizing the discomfort of her daughter to talk about _that _man.

"Okay... Elle asked to send you a kiss. I love you honey."

"Love you too. Bye" Cathrine finished the call, again keeping the phone in her pocket.

After saving for months, finally Cathrine managed to rent a local in the city center, which could turn into a small bookstore, thus being able to raise money on her own. But it would take a little longer until the inauguration, and meanwhile, she worked at the library... But, as mentioned earlier, her other passion was music, and that was what she lived for all Thursday night. Cathrine had as a child developed a great affection for the piano, and over the years she devoted part of her time to that. Now, she worked in a great restaurant in town, where she played in the evenings once a week. In addition to earning a good salary, she could enjoy a few hours of peace, lost in the music she played. Unfortunately, was on one of these nights, that Cathrine met Erick.

Erick was a rich man, but it was appeared to be extremely humble around others. And he really was. With his blonde hair and green eyes, he attracted the attention of women easily wherever he went, but was exactly the woman that not even seen him that caught his attention. While taking dinner, Erick had not failed to pay attention to Cathrine, coming to talk to her during the minute break. And did so every week until Cathrine finally agreed to go out with him... If she only knew the monster he really was...

The woman seemed to notice where her thoughts going, deciding to forget them instantly. It was not good to remember a life that no longer existed...

That day seemed unusual when already in the morning a strong wind blew over the city. It was another day that Cathrine wanted to pass soon. It was in the afternoon at the library, while reading again one of her favorite books, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, a person approached her desk.

"Excuse me, could help me find a book?" A male voice sounded, and Cathrine did not look up right away to see who it was.

"Of course, what would be the name..." After checking the page, Cathrine looked at the man, but her speech caught in her throat, and only one name crossed her lips. "Erick..."

"Hello my love".

Startle the woman rose up, getting away from that man. Several people who circulated by the library looked toward them.

"What do you want?" She asked, pulling away as much as she could.

"This is the how you talk with me, honey?" Erick said, a cynical smile on his lips seemed to make him even more dangerous.

"You have no right to talk to me" Cathrine raised her voice. "You lost the right to talk to me the day..."

"When you will understand" In one swift movement, the man was now standing very close to her, not allowing the sentence to be completed, holding her arm tightly. "You still belong to me..."

"Let me go..." Cathrine tried to pull away from the strong grip of the man, but she didn't have to fight hard. The two caught the attention of more people, and then the library manager was standing next to Cathrine, which made Erick loose her arm.

"What do you want?" The manager, Calton asked. Calton was tall... Taller than Erick, and his size made him manly threatening.

"I just came to talk to my wife," Erick said roughly.

"Listen, I think you better get out of here before I break this face of yours and take off that cynical smile of your mouth, you fret." Calton said, standing in front of Cathrine. "If you do not leave now, I call the police."

Erick just smiled even more with that threat, which for him was more like a joke. The man just turned away, not responding, only glancing at Cathrine, leaving the place.

Cathrine did not realize that she was holding her breath during that time, breathing deeply when the man walked out the door.

"Watson, the next time the man show up here I will not hesitate to call the police" Her boss said, and although his words were hard he clearly was concerned with his employee. "That man has serious problems, and I do not want you end up hurting yourself in the end." He walked away after the woman silently agreed.

Cathrine lowered her head, looking at the pages of the book she held in her hands, when again another voice called.

"Cath, I thought Erick had moved" Nicolle hurriedly came to her side, whispering while no one was coming to them. Nicolle was her only and best friend in Portland, and just as Cathrine, also loved literature and especially Harry Potter. She had golden hair cut at the height of the shoulders and eyes the color of honey, and different from Cathrine, she was tall.

"I thought he would never bother me again" Cathrine put the book on the table, rubbing her fingertips on her temples; a headache was coming.

"Cathrine promise me you will be careful. He coming here today might only be the beginning" Nicolle murmured, looking worried for her friend. "Please Cath, be very careful. If you want, you can spend a day at my home. I'm sure Jack will not bother. "

"Oh, no" Cathrine laughed lightly, thinking how it would be spend time with the grooms. "I can take care of me, Nic. If anything happens I'll call you, okay?".

Nicolle seemed not to like the idea, but only consented, going to attend a customer who had questions about where to find a book.

Cathrine could not put the blame on her friend to be so worried. She couldn't feel safe when she saw Erick coming through the library door. Why he could not leave her alone? It had been two years since... Since _that_ accident. The woman shook her head, trying to get rid of the horrible memories that came to her mind. Sometimes, Cathrine wish she could live somewhere else... In a completely different world. Her family lived no longer close to her, and after Erick, her life had become a complete solitude. It was this that made Cathrine being so in love with her books... When she dreamed, she thought she could live in a place where no problem could reach her. Sometimes dreamed she could live in a place like… Hogwarts. Why not? There at least she would never have to see Erick again.

During these daydreams, soon Cathrine was already walking home again. Another day had passed… One that she would like to put together with the list of days that should forget. But that was not the end. A strongly drizzling began and the thin blouse she was wearing did not help, because the fabric was already getting wet. Her apartment was a bit far, but maybe she could get there in time before the rain became thicker.

Cathrine walked quickly through the streets holding her purse firmly close to the body, keeping her head down. She would soon be in the safety of her apartment. That's when, around the corner, Cathrine realized she was not alone.

"Why the rush Cathrine?" Erick's voice was in front of her, making her stop abruptly.

"What do you want?" Cathrine asked, looking around, trying to see if someone else walked close to them. There was no one walking down the street. She needed to find a place to hide... She needed to get away.

"We couldn't talk very well this afternoon at the library...".

"I have nothing to talk to you," she replied, trying to find a way to walk away from him. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go."

The moment she would cross for him, Erick was in front of her again, preventing she could pass.

"Oh no, my sweet Cathrine" Cathrine trembled when she heard him calling her like that, a horrible craving coming from her stomach. "When will you understand that no matter what you do, you will never get away from me?" He took another step forward while Cathrine walked away from him.

"And when you will understand that I hate you?" Cathrine said. She needed to find a way to escape. Erick could not bring more pain to her life. The rain began to fall harder, and that's when he approached her even more, that Cathrine saw her chance appear.

In a surge of anger and fear, Cathrine kicked him between the legs, causing the man to kneel on the floor with pain, and without thinking twice, she ran in the opposite direction. Toward the woods...

And here we are again...

The wind was blowing sorely on that cold night; the light rain was beating violently in the young woman's face that ran through the woods, trying to get as fast as possible at home, where she would be safe. Cathrine ran through the woods, looking back every moment, trying to see if Erick was following her. She could not let him catch her. Panting, she could see in the distance the bars of the gates, if she could reach them, she would be on a busy street, where it would be impossible to Erick do her harm. Again she looked back, and there was no movement. Apparently the man believed it was not worth pursuing her...

"Where do you think you're going?" Cathrine looked forward, stopping immediately, with soaked hair stuck on her face. Erick was in front again, and this time, however, when the woman started to run away again, he held her arms, hurting her. "You'll never get away from me," he yelled while thunderstorms and lightning cut the sky above them.

"No, Erick, let me go! Please!" She begged, but it was to no use. Cathrine could see the madness clear in the eyes of the man. Erick pulled her tighter into the woods, and as she tried to pull away from his claws the only thing that went through her mind was as she wanted to all of this to be finished once. Why couldn't she have peace in her life?

"Now you plead, you bitch?" The man snapped, raising his hand and striking a slap in Cathrine's face, which made her lose her balance and fall kneeling on the floor. Tears streamed down the woman's face mixed with drops of rain that began to fall even more violently.

Erick pulled her by the arms, forcing her to stand back, ready to hurt her again. But at that moment thunder made the ground shudder at their feet, and something completely unusual began to happen. The gusts of wind became so violent that both felt they body off balance.

"What the hell! What's going on?" Erick asked angrily, dropping Cathrine's arm to protect his eyes from the heavy rain. It was like a whirlwind was forming around them. Cathrine desperately looked around, but the rain was so thick and strong that it was impossible to distinguish anything but figures. Maybe that would be her chance to escape again. But Erick realized that what she was up to something. "Don't think of running away from me, Cathrine!" He shouted.

But Cathrine didn't care what he was talking, preparing to run when something strange happened yet. A green flash erupted around them, and it was then that the woman again felt the ground shake, but a hole began to form on the earth. Cathrine walked away quickly, as she felt that Erick was behind her.

"What the hell is this?" He shouted, visibly as scared as Cathrine, holding her by the fist. "Let's get out of here!"

"No Erick, let me go! Let me go" Cathrine started screaming, trying to get loose, and this time she succeeded. However, when she release of his arms, the woman gave a false step back, sliding to the edge of the hole, which only increased. Cathrine held on the grass, trying to pull her body up. Looking at the hole, she could see a real swirl in it, and a tremendous force pulling her body into it. She was going to die! "Help!" She yelled, hoping that someone else would come to her aid, but the only person she saw was Erick, who was also lying on the ground. She could no longer hold and that moment Cathrine felt the ground slip from her hands, and with scream, she was drawn into the whirlpool.

It was very dark and cold. Very cold. Maybe that was what happened after we died. We would get somewhere without light and that it was extremely cold. But pain? Cathrine didn't remember hearing that she still would feel pain. The discomfort only increased, and that's when she realized that perhaps she was not dead. Slowly, she opened her eyes, waiting for them to adjust to the dim lighting of the place. Without moving, Cathrine realized she was lying on the ground, the tree tops covered the sky. She thought that all this could have just been a nightmare, but her hopes were destroyed when she realized she was still in the woods. Without moving, she focus on hearing; listening to any noise around her, but nothing came to her but silence.

Slowly, Cathrine sat on the floor, a huge pain in every muscle in her body difficult things a bit. Where was Erick? Had he hit her so hard that she had lost consciousness and fainted? However, looking around, Cathrine realized that this place was not the woods near her apartment. Many trees stretched around her, and there was no way by which she could see the gates that gave access to the streets. Where was she?

Cathrine raised and with her body shivering because of the cold wind and cause her clothes were completely soaked just as her hair, she walked through the woods... No, forest. She was in some kind of forest. There was no sign Erick there. Wherever she was, she was alone. Reeling, the woman rested on tree trunks, hugging herself and still shaking violently from the cold. That's when she saw some lights in the distance. Cathrine felt the forces escape from her body, but even then she tried finally reaching the edge of the forest. In front of her, small buildings stood, forming some kind of village.

But where was she? Cathrine's feet touched the road. She saw the main street, and noted that many of those houses were shops; but as it was night, the windows empty, and beyond she saw boundary mountains... What place was that? How could? Minutes before she was in the city of Portland and now she was in a completely different place. Looking around, she crept down the road, but had no more strength to continue. She was weak physically and emotionally. Cathrine allowed to kneel on the floor, shivering violently, but it was when a hand grabbed her shoulder.

For a moment she thought it was Erick, turning quickly, but then she saw an old man with gray hair and beard. He wore glasses and behind the dirty lenses, the eyes were very blue and piercing.

"Are you okay?" He asked in a low voice, looking at her worried.

"Where am I?" Cathrine tried to speak, and her voice was rough and failed because of the cold.

The man looked even more worried, surprised to hear that question. In a very kind gesture, he helped the woman to her feet, causing her to lean on him.

"Come with me, it is not good to be roaming the streets at this time of night. Even more in times like this" He spoke again, guiding her down the street.

"Times like this?" Cathrine murmured again, letting him help her. What he meant by that phrase? Was he referring to the late time?

"Many dangers roam the streets even after the fall of the Dark Lord".

Cathrine was very weak, but did not miss what he had said. Dark Lord? She must really be too stunned hearing things like that. The woman said nothing more, and realized that the path came near the end, when he led her into one of the small houses, and instant Cathrine thought she saw a sign on the door with the name Hog's Head Inn.

Cathrine noticed it was in a dirty bar with floor lined with sawdust. The man led her behind the counter and toward a second door that led to a rickety ladder, they climbed. Entered into a living room with a threadbare carpet and a small fireplace, on top of which hung a large oil portrait of a blonde girl who looked the room with an air of gentleness apathetic. Again, Cathrine thought for a moment the picture had moved.

Where was she? The woman looked around, scared even after the man had make her sit in a chair, saying that he would pick up something for her to eat, Cathrine did not feel safe. Trying to observe every detail around her, the woman could not help but notice that the place was familiar in a way for her. But... It was impossible.

That's when lights went on inside the small room and the man returned minutes later, bringing with him a great form of bread, cheese and a metal pot with water, which deposited on a table in front of the fireplace. That's when Cathrine could see clearly who had helped her. A startled look marked the features of both, but it was the man who spoke first.

"My child, what happened to your face?" He asked, and Cathrine touched her face, hiding what would probably be the beginning of a mark caused by the hands of Erick. The woman did not answer, letting her hair fall on the left side of her face.

"Who are you?"

"My name is Aberforth. Aberforth Dumbledore."

A shudder ran again through the woman's body, and the little color left to her fled from her face. She could not have heard right. She must still been asleep and still none of that had really happened.

"Where am I?"

"In Hogsmeade of course," the man said again, realizing that whatever had happened to the woman she seemed extremely upset. Now he was sure that he had do the right thing to call _him_.

"Hogsmeade..." she muttered, and rose quickly, trying to go toward the door. She was next to a lunatic, that was the only answer that came to her mind. But before she could reach the door, it swung open, revealing another man, that had to look very similar to the man who was still sitting.

"Oh, Albus, thank goodness..." The man in the chair said, but Cathrine continued to face the person in front of her. What was happening?

Standing in the doorway was a tall, thin man with silver beards and hair that reached his waist. He wore half-moon glasses that reached his crooked nose. Cathrine felt her body falter, leaning on the chair and pacing back.

"What's going on?" Her voice faltered again. _She_ was now going crazy, this had to be the answer. How could she be seeing two characters she knew were parts of a book in front of her?

"Why don't you sit down?" The man at the door, Albus Dumbledore told her, looking at her curiously and concerned about the reaction of the girl. "Let's all sit down..."

"No, what's going on here? I was in Portland going home and now I'm... I'm... "

"In Hogsmeade" Aberforth spoke again.

"But this is not possible!" Yelled Cathrine. She was still shaking even though not because of being wet and cold, but because she was going mad. The woman walked across the room, causing Dumbledore to walked as well, leaving the passage toward the door free. "You are not possible! None of this is real!".

"You better try to calm down and sit for a moment..." Dumbledore said, but Cathrine was not willing to believe him.

"But none of this exists! Not you! Albus Dumbledore, Aberforth Dumbledore... Hogsmeade. _Hogwarts_! All of this is part of a story!" Cathrine yelled, getting closer to the door. Needed to get out of that place and try to understand what was happening. She didn't know if I she could stand that for much longer. She felt her strength ran thin but the adrenaline in her body made her stand put.

"I'm sorry to say this, but we are very real." Aberforth said and it did something to awaken within Cathrine.

In a single movement, she ran toward the door, getting out without any of those men to stop her. She was down the stairs in a leap, and opening the door of the bar; the cold of the night made contact again with her body, but there was someone standing in the doorway, blocking her way.

That's when she saw him for the first time.

A tall man dressed completely in black stared at her, with his black hair falling like curtains on the side of his thin face. But was his eyes that caught her attention more; black eyes as the night bore into her light blue ones. Was in that instant that Cathrine could no longer endure stand firm and felt her vision fail and the weight of her body flinching. A darkness came over and she lost consciousness, into the darkness.

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_So, any thoughts?_

_Well first of all now that I have time I need to write some warnings here and reasons for this chapter. First and more important: English is not my first language! I always forget to say this and people send me reviews asking about sentences that they did not understood. But believe me I try very hard to do my best, so sorry for any mistakes!_

_Now, I haven't post this chapter sooner because I was trying to create something really new and different, and I finally got it. So, now this will come soon I hope! You know college and theater do not give me much time but I try my best._

_And this chapter title was because of Coldplay song: Magic._

_I think that's all for now! Questions? Opinions? Sugestions? Review! ;)_


	3. Chapter Two - Just another day

_What? Another chapter? Yes, that's right! This is a little short because the next one will be bigger. I didn't want to write all in one chapter because it was going to be too long. I forgot to say that if anyone wants to know what Cathrine looks like, well I see her as the actress C__aroline Dhavernas. Don't know who she is? Watch Hannibal! Or you can see a draw I make of her here: /p/wCDuIeyMG6/?modal=true_

_Please review guys! I need to know what you are thinking! xoxo ;)_

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With only two weeks to the start of classes, that had been a normal day in the life of Severus Snape. He had woken up early and chose to take his breakfast in his room, asking some elf to prepare it. Soon after, he spend the rest of the morning and most of the afternoon preparing potions in the dungeons, not caring to have lunch because it was not a meal which he missed or even cared. Making potions helped him to forget memories of a past which he hated, but did not help him to forget what was to come.

They were in 1991 and it was the year when "the boy" would arrive at Hogwarts.

Harry Potter, the boy who lived, just to remind Snape's biggest mistake he had made in life.

The hours had passed quickly, and he was even surprised that day Dumbledore had not called for him, until a light knock on his door wake him up from his thoughts.

When opening, a house-elf was standing there, looking at him with dread.

"Professor Snape, Professor Dumbledore asked for you to meet in front of the main gates as fast as you can."

"Okay, you can go" Snape said, dismissing the elf. One could dream that one day he would not be plagued by conversations with the old headmaster. But apparently he would not get rid of one of those days.

Wearing his black cloak over his clothes of the same coler that he always used, Snape left the dungeons quickly walking through the corridors of the castle, reaching the outside, entering the gardens. Only now he could see that the night had already fallen.

Upon arriving to the castle gates, he saw that Dumbledore was waiting for him, and was soon out of the property, walk along the road, towards Hogsmeade.

"Aberforth sent an urgent message" Dumbledore began to speak as Snape had reached and both walked side by side. "From what he could tell me, as he was returning to his bar, he found a woman fallen on the floor. She appeared to be very confused and did not know where she was."

"And I'm here to prepare a potion that prevents her from a very strong hungover." Snape said dismissively.

"My brother thinks she has been attacked by some Death Eater which still insists in being loyal to Voldemort." Dumbledore said, as they approached the door of the Hog's Head. "I'll go see what's going on... Wait here Severus, so if it's nothing important you can return to the castle."

Snape said nothing to that, turning his back to the Headmaster. It was clear in the features of the wizard he had been extremely angry. Dumbledore just stared at him for a moment behind his small glasses.

He was tired of making paper of bodyguard to Dumbledore. The wizard treated him like a dog. But there was nothing he could do because he had sworn allegiance to him. But the Dark Lord had fallen... The boy who would enter Hogwarts this year was the real proof of that. Why be here then? But Snape knew it was not true... The damn Potter.

The boy of only eleven years old, who had lost all, but Snape was sure that he boasted with the fame and fortune he had collected over the years.

At least that's what Snape wanted to believe, after all he was the son of James Potter. Dumbledore had reprimanded several times to be judging the child even before knowing him and made Snape remember that the boy was not only the son of James but _her_ son too.

Sighing deeply, the man closed his eyes, trying to control the memories that threatened to come to his mind. There was not a single day that passed that he did not remember _Lily_.

He needed to concentrate, he could not let those memories torment his mind...

That's when noises within the establishment called his attention. In fact were voices that sounded angry, then steps coming towards the door, which then opened before him.

That was when Snape saw her for the first time. Incredibly blue eyes that seemed frightened met his blacks one. And that disappeared when closed. Snape realized that the woman standing before him lost the forces on her body, but before she could fall on hard ground, he stepped forward, holding her body in his arms. The man looked astonished at the woman he held in his arms and that had completely lost consciousness.

"Severus!" Dumbledore appeared at the background, coming to him. "Bring her in," he said, waving to him.

Severus held the woman closely in his arms and carried her back into the bar, taking her to the room that Aberforth indicated and put her in bed.

Now Snape could look her better and examine the woman's features. She didn't appear to have more than 20 years, with her brown hair falling over her face. Her lips were small and her nose, delicate. But he wanted to get a better view her of her, and brushed the hair that hid her face, but step back in a fright when faced with the red mark that was turning purple next to her eye.

"Who did this to her?" Snape murmured, touching the wound on the woman's face with his fingertips.

"I don't know. When she arrived she already had this in her face" Aberforth said, he and Dumbledore standing behind him. Snape raised stopping beside them, still looking at woman who was unconscious in the bed. She trembled from head to toe and her face was extremely pale.

In one motion with the wand, Dumbledore made the woman the clothes dry and some blankets appeared over her.

"_Who is she_?" He asked finally. There was something very strange about the woman that made him feel uneasy.

"She did not say her name, but said something about being in Portland minutes ago and not knowing where she was now..." Aberforth said again, scratching his long beard, with a pensive look.

"Portland? But this is at the United States... She must have apparated...".

"I also thought that Severus, but she seemed not to know anything about Hogsmeade, beyond being without wand".

"A muggle then... If she has no wand and know nothing about Hogsmeade, she must be a muggle" Snape said, as if that explained everything.

"However, she talked about Hogwarts without us even mention it, beyond knowing my name even though I had not said to her who I am" Dumbledore said. "She seemed very upset, and began to say that we are not real. That we couldn't be real."

That certainly caught Severus's attention. This woman was definitely hiding something.

"We should let her rest. I'm sure it will be a while before she wakes up." The headmaster sighed, looking worried to her, leaving the room after his brother. Snape looked once more at the woman before leaving.

There was something about her that made him uneasy, as if she did not belonged there. When she woke up, they would have answers, or at least that was what he expected.


	4. Chapter Three - Fuori dal Mondo

The title is from the song Fuori dal Mondo by the pianist Ludovico Einaudi.

* * *

_She was lying on the hard floor. Cathrine had her body firmly placed on the floor of her old house. She was in pain; so much pain that she thought she was dying. Looking up towards the stairs, she could see a figure standing at the end of it, on the second floor._

"_You did this to yourself!" A man's voice sang loudly and Cathrine knew that it was Erick's voice. "This is all your fault, you reckless bitch!"_

_Cathrine turned her eyes away, not daring to look at that man again, blood and tears covering her face._

That's when she woke up.

Cathrine sat in the bed, breathing heavy… It was just a nightmare. A memory. She lay down again, closing her eyes, trying to calm her breathing and trying to remember what had happened with her last night.

With her eyes closed, she remembered that after work Erick had followed her and she had to run through the middle of the trees of the park close to her house, as if she could hide from him. But that was when something happened. A huge hole opened in the ground, sucking her into it. After that, Cathrine wasn't sure of what had happened.

Opening her eyes again, she realized that something was wrong. Looking around, she realized that was not her bedroom. In fact, nothing there was hers not even the room itself.

Rising from the bed, she walked to the window across the room, so maybe she could figure out what part of Portland she was, but the sight that greeted her wasn't at all what she was expecting.

Outside, a small village stood in front of her; only a few houses were built there, and they looked more like shops. It was still dark outside but the birds were already singing, which meant dawn was almost there.

Cathrine forced her mind to work, trying to remember where she was and what had happened to her.

She remembered that after being sucked by that hole, she was in a forest and soon she found the main road. It was really cold and Cathrine knew she was very weak; that's when a man had come to help her and that's when things started to get really insane.

The strange man said his name was Aberforth and that she was in… _Hogsmeade_. How could she be in a place that did not exist? And if things couldn't get weirder, another man appeared and that's when she knew she had gone mad, because the man was Albus Dumbledore.

After that, Cathrine remembered she had tried to run away but was stopped when she stood in front of _him_. _Severus Snape_. And then she knew no more.

Cathrine couldn't believe she was in a place that was only real in the books, but it seemed she wasn't crazy, when looking through the window again she was sure that that was Hogsmeade. And to make things truly real, that moment the door opened to show Aberforth.

"Good Morning, miss" He said, entering the room, looking at her carefully. "I can see you look much better today".

"Yes, thank you very much for your concern" Cathrine said. That was the moment she needed to make a plan. If she was truly in a different world she was going to need help. But mostly important of all, she needed to think of something else than the books.

All she could think was the movies of Back to the Future, and all the mess knowing too much about the future could do. Cathrine was going to concentrate to think of something else, because even if she didn't say a word about the things she knew, some of them could try to read her mind. She had no idea how she was going to hide her thoughts from Dumbledore and Snape, but she had to try. She had no idea what year she was and maybe the smallest thing they knew the consequences could be enormous.

"You scared us last night. Made us really worried with you" The man said. "You were really confused."

"I am really sorry for all the trouble I might have caused, sir" She apologized.

The man just looked at her, indicating for her to follow him.

"There's some food for you downstairs" He said, still looking very suspicious towards her.

Cathrine followed the man in silence, being guided at the bar of the Hog's Head, where at one of the front tables, Dumbledore was sat, drinking tea from a big cup. The woman stopped, insecure to be there.

"Good morning, lady" Dumbledore said with a smile on his lips but that didn't reached his eyes. "I truly hope you are feeling better today" He made the same commentary that Aberforth had.

"Yes, thank you" She once again said, now fully observing the place; it was not much clean, with just a few table and some animals head's hanging in the walls. While observing, Cathrine's eyes rested on the man that stood silently at the far corner of the room. She lowered her eyes quickly, not daring to make eye contact with that man – it was as if he could read her soul. And she knew he damn well could. Snape was looking at her with such a force that she could sense every muscle of her body froze. Turning to Dumbledore, she could at least try to eat something even if he too was looking intently at her.

"Please, have a sit. You must be very hungry".

Cathrine only nodded and sat, while Aberforth place a cup with coffee in front of her and some bread, leaving her alone with the only other two men. Slowly she picked the bread, eating a small piece of it and drinking the black coffee. She liked coffee but it was mixed with milk. Black coffee was one of the drinks she hated the most.

She could feel Dumbledore's eyes fixed on her and she knew she had to say something before the questions could come crashing towards her.

"I know you must be waiting for some explanation" She said trying to sound as calm as possible.

"Indeed. You were really confused when we came here yesterday" Dumbledore said not in a harsh tone, and Cathrine could see he wanted to get answers. "My dear, tell me… What's your name?"

Swallowing, Cathrine thought for one moment if she should lie about her identity, but as no one knew her in this "world", her name wasn't something relevant.

"My name's Cathrine Watson".

"Very Well, Miss Watson... I am Albus Dumbledore and that is my colleague, Severus Snape" The man sitting in front of her said while she tried to appear indifferent. Of course she knew who they were and she tried to believe neither of them noticed that she had in fact said Albus name's the previous night. "We can see that you are not from around here… Would you care to say where are you from?"

Biting her lips, the woman tried to decide if she should tell them the true or not… Well, not the whole true, just a part of it. After all, she was going to need help to find a way to come back… To where exactly she didn't know.

"I am from… Portland" Cathrine said. "And… I don't know how I have ended up here." She finally confessed, breathing heavily. "I just don't know. One minute I was walking to my home and the next I was here".

Dumbledore seemed to realize that woman was truly lost and a little desperate. She didn't sound like a witch, because if that was the problem she would only have to disapparate, so he asked for her to tell everything. And that she did.

Cathrine told everything to the wizards that were in the room… Well, everything except the fact she knew everything about their future, what would come to pass, who was going to live and die… Also, she did not said a word about Erick, only saying she was walking back home from work when a huge hole opened in the ground and the next thing she knew she was lying down in the middle of a forest and them Aberforth had found her.

At the end of her tale, both Dumbledore and Snape had kept the silence. Snape had come close to them but still was keeping his distance.

"This sounds different from everything I have knowledge." The elder man finally said, his arms crossed in front of his chest. "I have heard about this only once in my life. The way you said, this hole might have been a portal."

"A portal?"

"Yes, but not something like a normal portal, from other cities or countries, but from different worlds". He said and that caught Snape's attention, his eyes focusing even more on the woman.

"A different world…" Well, that Cathrine already knew, but how was that possible? "So, if you said you have heard about this before then you know how to send me... back?"

To that the man hesitated to answer, again looking at her with something hidden in his blue eyes, just as blue as hers.

"That I don't know… But I think I can find more about this, but it will take a while. Till them you will have to remain here."

"I think that is the only option I have. I am sure there might be a way for me to go till the closest city, so I can find a place to stay…" Cathrine sighed.

"No Miss Watson. I think you miss understood me. I mean, you will have to stay here… With us."

"What?" Both Cathrine and Snape spoke at the same time and Cathrine looked at him, before looking down, while Snape stepped close to Dumbledore talking in a low murmur.

Cathrine couldn't stay here, it was too dangerous. All the things she knew… What if they found out about her secret and what if she decided to change the future? It was too dangerous… Too much a temptation. Even more knowing who was going to die. Suddenly that thought made her look again briefly towards Snape. He was so much younger than what she thought he was and also much more mysterious. Cathrine couldn't hide her fascination about that character… That man. He had always been her favorite, the one everybody hated was the one she liked the most. Not because of his appearance, after all he wasn't considered a handsome man, although for her it was completely the opposite, but because of his personality. Of course now she could see clearly all the differences between him and the actor who portrayed him. Before she could make a list of it, she realized she had been staring at him and so he did. Cathrine lowered her head, feeling her cheeks burn a little, while the man just stared at her with his eyebrows almost reaching his hair line. Looking at Dumbledore, she could yet see Snape's eyes were burning with hate towards her.

"You will come with us, but first I have to show something to you. Something that will require you to forget everything you have believed that was real and what wasn't." Dumbledore said, while Snape stepped away, visible irritated. "Tell me Miss Watson, do you believe in Magic?"

"Magic?" Cathrine could laugh at that, but that question made her stop and think. She had never believed in Magic, maybe once in her childhood, and even though she wanted to believe that it could exist, life proved her wrong… Till now. Did she believe in Magic? After all that happened to her in these hours, could she really believe it existed? Been dragged by a portal and ended up in a world that only existed in her books and now sitting in front of two fictional characters… By then she knew her answer. "Yes… Yes, I do".

"Excellent" Dumbledore smirked, taking from inside his left sleeve a wood stick… A wand and in one movement he made the plate with the rest of the bread that were on the table disappear. "Because it exists".

With a gasp, Cathrine rose from her chair, looking with wide eyes between the table and the wand in amazement. So that settles everything. It was all true.

"Wow, that… That was awesome!" She said.

"Well thank you. Now, you will come with us to Hogwarts…"

"What? But I thought I was going to stay here. In this place!" Cathrine said without thinking about the consequences. The way she said it seemed as if she knew what Hogwarts was in the first place. She didn't notice but that did not go unnoticed by Snape. "I mean..."

"No, you will come to Hogwarts where is safer" Dumbledore said, also looking with suspicion to her, his blue eyes scanning her face above his half-moon glasses. "You are under my protection now." That moment, the wizard tone was as to end the argument there. No one could argue with that.

"Okay, sir… May I ask something sir?" Cathrine looked at him, with concern in her eyes. "Could you tell me what year is it?"

Dumbledore and Snape looked at each other, completely baffled by her question. But Dumbledore turned and answered her.

"It's 1991. June 30th to be exact…" He said.

"1991… Right." Cathrine could feel she had gone a little more pale with that information. She really shouldn't be here.

"We must be going, it's already morning and I would like to explain everything you should know when we reach Hogwarts…" He said, walking towards the front door of the Hog's Head, with Cathrine following with slow steps, when the wizard stopped and turned to her, his eyes piercing hers now more than ever. He was trying to read her, of that Cathrine was sure. "Unless… Miss Watson, there's any more you want to tell us? Any questions, doubts, _secrets_?"

Cathrine didn't dare to look away from the wizard. She didn't even blinked. He would not have said that last word if he hadn't spotted something in her. But Cathrine just couldn't risk saying a damn thing.

"No Mr. Dumbledore. There's nothing more I need to tell you".

That was when in the blink of an eye, Cathrine felt her body being pressed against the wall, her face inches apart not from Dumbledore's, but from Snape's. His eyes were like a blaze and his grip like iron, pressing her furiously as if he was going to break every bone of her body. At that moment, Cathrine truly feared the man, but she was not going to let her pride be suppressed bye that man.

"Let me go! What are you doing?" Cathrine tried to free herself from him, but he was much stronger than her.

"Stop with your lies, you filthy girl!" He said, snarling at her face, griping her arms. For sure that would leave a mark on her skin.

"Severus, stop. Let her go…" Dumbledore asked, putting a hand on the man's shoulder.

"Not until she says the true!" Snape forced her once again against the wall, and that for sure made her back arch with pain.

"I am not hiding anything, you bastard! Let go of me!" Cathrine screamed and that was her time to stare at his eyes, daring him to cause her any more harm. She wasn't going to let another man command her like Erick used to. Snape's black eyes were piercing her blue ones with such a force that she thought he could read her soul.

"Severus, let her go" Dumbledore said again, pulling him away from the woman, to look in silence to him, as if just by looking at each other they could communicate.

Snape did not say a word, turning his head to look one more time to Cathrine before he stormed out of the bar, closing the door with great force.

Dumbledore just sighed, turning to see Aberforth coming to them again. In a hush voice, both man talked with each other, but Cathrine didn't care to pay attention. She couldn't look away from the front door where the other wizard had leave. So that was how Snape was going to act around her. Cathrine knew the man was complicated but in no way she would let him make her feel bad. She knew she was doing the right thing not telling them the true, as Snape had put out. And she could be as stubborn as he.

"We must go now, Miss Watson" Cathrine refocused her attention again at the old man, who was now thanking his brother once again.

"Thank you very much sir" The woman turned to Aberforth. "Thank you for find me and helping me".

"You're welcome, lass" The man said, shaking hands with the woman. "If the need appears, you must know that you can come here".

Cathrine just nodded with her head, thanking him once more before Dumbledore step out of the bar. The girl followed him, walking side by side, before looking briefly to the Hog's Head one last time. It sure looked different from the other houses in Hogsmeade, but she knew that one day she might need to come to that place once more.

"I am sorry about the way Severus treated you" Dumbledore said, guiding the path. He knew the girl was hiding something, he wasn't a fool, but he was not going to press her. When the time appears he knew she was going to tell him everything.

"He is quite… complicated" She said more to herself than to wizard.

"Strange choice of word, Miss Watson, but completely true. Severus Snape is a very complicated man" Dumbledore looked at her, his blues eyes shining briefly. "Although I must say he is not completely wrong".

"I am sorry?"

"I also know you _are_ hiding something. But" He continued before the woman could interrupt him. "But I will not press you to say anything; even if I am sure you know that when the time arrives you can come to me".

Cathrine didn't say a word to that, remaining silently as both walked in a path away from Hogsmeade. Dumbledore knew she had secrets beyond the things she had said to him and that made her decide. If the need appear, she was going to say the Headmaster what she knew. Only he could at least know a bit of what she knew.

How would she survive in this world full of temptation? It was like fate was playing a game with her. But she was going to be strong, no matter the circumstances.

* * *

Hi, I am back! So sorry for the time it took me to post this, but I was having trouble writing this. I was trying write something different from what I have read and in a way that could look natural. well, now some things I forgot to say before:

I you want to know what the portal looks like, you just have to search for an episode or trailer of the tv show called "Once Upon a Time". I love that show so much!

Another thing is, that whyle I write, I must have the character visual concept in my mind, and I realized that the link I posted here for you all to see a pic of her did not worked, so here again, now the right one, you just have to add 'instragam dot com' and the following: /p/tbib8XLeCL/

And finally, something that is really important and I wanted to share with you: I decided to start a channel on youtube! Yeah! It is called "Tea time, anytime", and it will be about geek stuff! So, I really would like if you subscribe to my channel or/and send me ideas in your reviews to what you would like me to talk in my channel! It can be about anything... For example... Fanfics! You can find my channel here, you just have to add 'youtube dot com' and the following : /channel/UCuJqdl7m5shVJ-dN2XZP6yg

Well that's all I wanted to say.

Hope you enjoy this chapter! Subscribe!


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